Book 3 Summary

As he is flying to the newly created world, Satan hails God. God is seated on his throne, with his son beside Him in joyous Heaven. They see Satan on his way, and God begins to talk about the future. He has foreseen Satan's purpose of revenge. God prophesies that Satan will pervert mankind with his lies. It will be the fault of man, because man has been given free will to resist or yield to temptation. Predestination does not override man's ability to choose. God cannot prevent mankind's fall without entirely changing the nature of man. However, since Satan fell through his own will, and man will fall through Satan's temptation, man can be saved, while Satan cannot.

The Son of God is struck by the idea that man can still find God's grace. He thinks that man should not be destroyed...